A real world look at the Alfa Romeo 4C (under real world circumstances)

Reader (and very fine photographer) Yergen Diesel was lucky enough to spend some time with the new Alfa Romeo 4C recently— not under ideal conditions (cold, wet, finite), but still not an opportunity to be turned down. Here are some photos that he shared with us.

I completely disagree about the rump. It feels to me like they should have stopped where the rear glass ends, making a sort of kamm tail. I’m thinking 8C. The Haunches look good from the front, though.

The pics are great, I didn’t know I didn’t like the rear till today, so you can certainly bring out details the magazines seem to have missed.

Is it me or is that interior really unappealing?
The center of the steering wheel is straight out of a fiat 500 (airbag cover), and the seats look very unsupportive. Don’t get me wrong–I love the concept of this car, and I’m glad we get it on our shores. I can’t help to think that it’s simply compromised though. ie) Macpherson struts out back due to packaging constraints??? @.@

The interior was not as scruffy as I feared. Although they are really thin, the seats were ok for my tiny carcass. Indeed, I found the steering wheel not only clumsy but also quite unpleasant to hold, especially in hairpins with its ridiculously flat bottom.

I agree that the steering wheel is quite unsuccessful. Even with airbag the wheel center is way too big and has certain Mercedes S-class feeling to it due to two spoke design. And as with most modern cars, the spokes are extremely thick. You can’t wrap your fingers around the steering wheel in 9-15 position anymore, you’re just grabbing it. I would replace it in my imagined 8C with something much more italian.

MacPherson struts are bad design in theory, but cars like Porsche Cayman have them in rear suspension, and even 911s use struts in the front. It’s not a beautiful concept, but it can work perfectly well. I’m more concerned about the steering itself, Evo magazine had complaints about steering getting lighter/heavier for no logical reason etc. But hopefully I can find it out myself someday.

The steering felt actually weird on the road (keeping in mind I have never driven any other RWD car devoid of power steering, and incidentally that my driving skills are sooo far from Evo’s guys 😉 ). I have heard someone comparing it to an old 911’s, but at the time, I have to say I first could not help thinking of one of those ill-calibrated electric power steerings.

That bad feeling almost vanished on the track, probably helped on by perfect coating and more substantial speed through corners (whereas the steering remained uncomfortably light at higher speed in the straights).

Apart from the steering issue, I would have liked most of all a manual gearbox. Not that Alfa’s dual clutch was bad : I actually found it pleasant and responsive, with just a tad of opportune brutality to remind you are not sitting in a sterilised low end DSG7 hot hatch. But that is not what the muscle memory of my left foot and right arm is dictating me at the wheel of such a nasty little toy.

could be the evo driver needs to get re-acquainted with non-assisted steering ?
i love this car for its relative simplicty, it has more appeal to me than any of the forthcoming hypercars like the 918, p1 lalaferrari etc.

Notwithstanding the apparent driving qualities of the 4C, to me this vehicle rates as perhaps the most ugly Alfa Romeo ever conceived. There is no logic or grace whatsoever in its stubby, erratic shape, which may have been the result of someone having taken a lump of clay and having had a firm squeeze in it…. Oh, for the simple elegance of a Giulia Tubolare Zagato 🙂
Oh well. At least they gave 4C rear wheel drive.
Thanks and congratulations for a truly nice piece of quality photography.